A Natural-Born Animagus

The group fled into the house, and just as they were about to close the door, a huge bear head squeezed in. The dwarfs blocking the door used all their strength to push it out.

"We're saved." Aaron breathed a sigh of relief, then looked at Gandalf and asked, "Are those the Skin-changer?"

"Yes, his name is Beorn, and he is the resident of this house."

Sometimes he's a big black bear, sometimes he's a strong man.

The black bear's movements were unpredictable, but the man still reasoned with him.

"Isn't that Animagus?" Aaron exclaimed, his eyes wide with surprise.

Animagus is a profound form of magic that allows one to transform into a certain animal while retaining their own magical power.

But this magic is very difficult, and it can take several years to learn. The number of Animagus registered on the official register can be counted on one hand.

But it seems that Skin-changer are born Animagus, and I really envy them.

"What Animagus?"

"It's nothing, it's nothing."

"In short, Beorn doesn't particularly like dwarves, so you'd better not show any hostility towards him."

"What about humans? He doesn't hate humans, does he?" Aaron asked.

"It depends on the situation. There are good and bad people among humans, aren't there?"

However, Beorn wouldn't make things difficult for a child.

"That's good."

"He must have been cursed," Oin said with certainty.

"Don't be foolish." Gandalf glared at him. "No one can cast a spell on him except himself."

Okay, everyone, get some sleep. It'll be safe here tonight.

The black bear lingered outside the house, intimidating the surrounding orcs.

"Attack now and kill those dwarves while they're sleeping."

"No." Azog rejected his subordinate's suggestion outright. "There are monsters protecting them. We need to ambush them on the way."

Suddenly, a strange noise came from the woods, and an orc riding Warg stopped in front of Azog. "They are in Dol Guldur, and the people have summoned you."

Upon hearing this, Azog gritted his teeth.

Unable to disobey the orders of the dwarf, he had no choice but to temporarily abandon his plan to intercept and kill the dwarf and rode the White Warg towards Dol Guldur.

Inside the house, Gollum sounds rose and fell.

Aaron stared at the ceiling and silently opened his personal panel.

[Staying at the hotel: Aaron Gaius]

[Magical Energy: 8543 (Intermediate Archmage, the ultimate goal of most Warlock)]

[Talent: Once in a Year (Increases Magical Energy by 3 points daily)]

[Items: Moon Drop (can remove any negative spells), Resurrection Potion (can revive any creature that died within one hour), Magic Carpet, Activate Dragon-Slaying Magic Crystal]

[Magic Points: 290]

Looking at the last column of numbers, Aaron couldn't help but sigh.

I miss Hogwarts so much! After nearly three months of travel, my Magic Points are only three weeks old, and the gains from signing contracts don't even match the increase in my Magical Energy.

"System, open the store."

"Okay."

[Magic Category: Transfiguration (1000 Magic Points, including Animagus); @Flying (100 Magic Points, flight speed depends on individual skill); @Illusion Projection (700 Magic Points, creates an illusion of oneself for long-range projection); @Charm (500 Magic Points, but ineffective against those with strong will); @Astral Out-of-Body Experience (300 Magic Points)]

[Material Category: @Phoenix Feather (30 Magic Points); @Dragon Blood (20 Magic Points); Mandrake (5 Magic Points); Bezoar (1 Magic Points); @Rhinoceros Rhino Horn (3 Magic Points)]

[Item Category: @Captain Jack's Compass (200 Magic Points, points to the owner's deepest desire); @Magic Crystal (100 Magic Points, possesses powerful magic, can power Magic Array); @ Wizard Chess (1 Magic Points); Gerrani's Emerald (50 Magic Points, the person who obtains the emerald will be plagued by misfortune); @Wine (2 Magic Points)]

During this period, Aaron would occasionally browse the online store to fill some gaps.

But looking at the few spells in the Magic Category besides Transfiguration, Aaron felt particularly conflicted.

He wants the Illusion Projection but can't afford it; the allure isn't very suitable for men and is a bit pricey, so he'll rule that out for now. He might be able to get it after his Out-of-Body Experience leaves his body, but it's not relevant right now.

As for the final step, he was somewhat interested in the Sky-Soaring Technique, but since he had brought the Magic Carpet with him, there was no need to spend money on this magic for the time being.

The blank space in the Item Category shows a bottle of wine, which is quite ridiculous, but better than nothing.

"Sigh! I'll buy Captain Jack's Compass." Aaron made the difficult decision, but seeing his three-digit Magic Points turn into two digits, he couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

Aaron Cairo, glanced at the swaying needle, and managed a weak smile.

With this treasure, the chances of completing the contract will increase by at least 30%.

Once the System Mission is completed, his Magic Points will become four digits, and he won't be as stingy with his spending as he is now.

After putting away the Compass, Aaron shifted into a more comfortable position and prepared to sleep.

But when he turned over, he happened to see Bilbo playing with a gold ring.

What is that?

Bilbo was startled and immediately clutched the ring to his palm.

"Nothing."

"I've seen it, it's a gold ring."

"I said it was nothing." Bilbo's tone became more serious, then he realized his mistake and looked at Aaron apologetically. "Sorry, I... this..."

Aaron frowned. "Can I take a look?"

Bilbo's expression changed slightly, and he hesitated for a while before taking out the ring.

However, he was extremely reluctant to hand it over to Aaron, as if he were giving up half of his life.

Aaron picked up the ring, a sudden surge of possessiveness rising within him, but he quickly suppressed it.

"Magic Ring?"

"Thanks to it, I escaped from the orc city," Bilbo said excitedly. "It can make me invisible."

Aaron shook his head and returned the ring to Bilbo.

"Golden Snitch who can turn invisible is definitely a top-tier Golden Snitch."

However, this ring's function is definitely not just invisibility; it possesses incredibly powerful magic, and even I felt a sense of oppression from it.

As a friend, I'll give you some advice: if you want to keep this ring, don't let anyone else know you own it.

What does this mean?

Aaron snorted, "This ring has a bewitching power. When ordinary people see it, they subconsciously want to possess it, and may even go to great lengths to do so."

"No way!" Bilbo exclaimed in surprise. "Didn't you give the ring back to me? And I was willing to show it to you."

"That's because my soul has special protection, and the magic on the ring has almost no effect on me."

And you are no ordinary person either. Bilbo Bagins's mind was much purer than that of ordinary people, which is why he was able to resist its temptations.

But you should avoid breaking this ring if possible, otherwise you'll eventually become its slave, and might even suffer a mental breakdown or personality disorder.

Bilbo swallowed hard, thinking that Gollum, the original owner of the ring, was indeed eccentric, talking to himself, sometimes good and sometimes bad, and he believed his words about 90%.

"Perhaps we should tell Gandalf!"

"That's your decision, I won't interfere," Aaron said meaningfully. "But if even the Grey Wizard can't resist the ring's temptation, then I suggest you keep it, or... just destroy it."

The next morning.

The members of the expedition team gradually woke up from their sleep.

The owner of this house, Beorn, transformed into human form, a hairy middle-aged man who looked somewhat like a bear.

He wasn't angry that everyone was staying at his house without permission; instead, he prepared a hearty breakfast for them.

"You are Thorin Oakenshield. Tell me why Azog the Defiler is hunting you down."

"The arm." Aaron took a big gulp of milk. "Thorin cut off Azog's left arm in a terrible war."

"Is that so?" Beorn pondered. "You should cut off his head."

"I thought so too, but he was running too fast," Thorin said angrily, then looked at Beorn, "How did you know about Azog?"

"My people were the first to live in the mountains. The Orcs came from the north, and Azog killed most of my family members, and some became his slaves."

You're not working for him, are you? You're doing it for entertainment.

For him, locking up and torturing the Skin-changer was a pleasure.

"Villains are usually this twisted; it would be abnormal if he were to treat you to good food and drink," Aaron said, scoffing. "Logically, your people shouldn't be weak, so why are the orcs able to..."

"They outnumbered me and were skilled in scheming and trickery, otherwise I wouldn't be the only one left among the Skin-changer."

"It is true that evil people are often unscrupulous in achieving their goals."

"You must reach Lonely Mountain before the end of autumn; there's not much time left now."

"So we must go through the Mirkwood," Gandalf said. "That's the fastest way."

Darkness enveloped the grove, and decay spread beneath the trees.

The Orks of Moria and the mages of Dol Guldur have formed an alliance; I won't take that risk unless absolutely necessary.

"Let's take the Elven Road; that road is still safe."

"Safe?" Beorn was skeptical of the word. "The Wood Elf of Mirkwood are different from their kin; they are not as wise, but they are more dangerous."

Hearing this, Aaron looked at Thorin, "The elves he's talking about... could they be..."

"They are the ones who stand idly by while the dwarves suffer," Thorin said coldly.

"Heh!" Aaron's lips twitched, and he looked at Gandalf with a smirk. "Excuse me, but could we take a detour?"

I didn't mean anything by it; I just wanted to avoid unnecessary conflict.

"Gaius, what do you mean by this?" Thorin said unhappily.

You know the answer in your heart.

"You haven't shown much respect to King Elrond either. If you encounter those elves in the forest, who knows if you'll end up fighting them."

"No," Thorin said through gritted teeth. "I can still tell which is more important."

Aaron rolled his eyes speechlessly. He had witnessed Thorin's stubbornness along the way; once he got stuck in a rut, he couldn't get out. He wasn't even 50% sure what Thorin said was credible.

"I personally still suggest taking a detour."

"I would like to if I could!" Gandalf said helplessly, "But taking the detour would add at least two hundred kilometers to the north, or twice the distance to the south."

Hearing this, Aaron was speechless. "So that means there's no other choice."

"You could say that."

"Even if we don't take the detour, it's pointless. This area is full of Orks, and their numbers are growing. You'll never survive in the forest of Oddah by just walking." Beorn said, standing up. "I don't like dwarves. They are greedy, blind, and always ignore the lives of those they consider inferior to themselves."

But I hate Oak even more. What do you need?

The group looked at each other, and unanimously thought of the dozen or so horses outside.

If you can't explore that forest on foot, surely you can ride a horse!

Beorn did not refuse their request and generously lent them his horse. He even transformed into a black bear to escort them through the Mirkwood.

They rode horses for hundreds of kilometers before finally reaching the Mirkwood before nightfall.

"The Elven Gate," Gandalf said. "This is the path through Mirkwood."

"We're lucky there are no Orks around," Dwalin said.

"It's not that we're lucky, it's that we have protection." Aaron looked at the black bear on the distant mountain peak. "If it weren't for Beorn, our journey would have been much more difficult."

"Release the ponies! Let them go back to their owners."

Gandalf walked into the Mirkwood, parted a patch of vines, and saw a red mark.

"Are we going to Mount Doom?" Gandalf murmured, hurrying out of the woods. "Leave my horse behind, I still have my dog."

"You're not going to leave us, are you?" Bilbo asked with some concern.

"I wouldn't do this unless absolutely necessary."

"You've changed, Bilbo Bagins." Gandalf looked at him with satisfaction. "You're no longer the Hobbit who left the Shire."

"I have to tell you, I found something in the Orc tunnels." Bilbo said, reaching into his pocket to take out the ring, but considering the potential dangers that might follow, he decided to leave it behind for the time being.

What did you discover?

"My courage."

"Great." Gandalf raised an eyebrow. "You'll need it."

"Aaron, would you be interested in coming with me to the tomb of the Witch-king of Angmar?"

Aaron's heart skipped a beat. He recalled the somber expressions on King Elrond of Witch-king of Angmar's sword in Rivendell. He immediately refused, saying, "I would rather die than go, Bagins."

"Kill Bagins? I knew you'd say that," Gandalf said speechlessly. "Then I'll ask you to protect them."

"Do your best."

"We can't do our best. There are other things in this forest besides elves."

I don't know why you've been hiding your magic, but we're nearing Lonely Mountain and will soon be facing the dragon. You can't hide it forever.

If it really becomes unavoidable, I hope you...

"I will intervene," Aaron said thoughtfully, "But I can only guarantee it will be within my capabilities."

"Thank you." Gandalf breathed a sigh of relief, then looked at Thorin. "I will wait for you at the watchtower of Erebor ahead. Be careful to keep the map and key safe. Do not enter Lonely Mountain without me."

Furthermore, this is not just a green forest; the air in the forest is so polluted that it can be intoxicating and lead you astray.

You must stay on the road and not take any detours. If you go astray, you'll never find your way back.